ACHILLEA

These pretty, long-flowering perennials are loved by pollinators, come in many colours and work well in different styles of garden, from dry schemes to prairie-inspired plots

- JANICE SHIPP

The name Achillea is derived from the Greek warrior Achilles, who is said to have used the plants to heal his soldiers’ wounds, and it was apparently chosen to reflect the resilience of these plants. While not necessarily long-lived, they're tough, cold-hardy and tolerant of heat. Well-adapted to any type of soil, even poor soils that would see other plants struggle, so they're easy to grow if their basic requirements for sun and good drainage are met.

Long-flowering, they have blooms in colours diverse enough to suit all tastes, and the seedheads look attractive during winter. They're wildlife friendly, too, attracting an impressive array of insects looking for an accessible source of pollen and nectar.

Achilleas are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, primarily western Asia and Europe with some species native to North America. They're found in grassland, woodland and in mountainous regions. Common yarrow, Achillea millefolium, is native to the UK and can be found along roadsides and in lawns and rough grassland.

The ferny foliage is a key part of achilleas’ appeal. Plants of most A. millefolium and A. filipendulina cultivars soon spread into a mat of soft, feathery, green or silvery-grey leaves that create useful groundcover. Stems are stiff and upright, and the flat or sometimes rounded flowerheads are formed by multiple flower-topped stalks growing from the top part of the stem, in a structure called a corymb. These are long lasting and can be left over winter to catch the frost. In the wild, the flower colour range is limited to white or pink, but among cultivars the choice now includes shades of red, orange, pink, lavender and golden or pale yellow. In most cultivars, flower colour fades as blooms age, creating a pretty, multi-toned display as new flowerheads open.